Sheet metal joint and pull tab connection



D. w. JONES ETAL 3,322,295

SHEET METAL JOINT AND FULL TAB CONNECTION May 30, 1967 Filed Dec. 18, 1964 FIG] FIG.2

* YQREEJI United States Patent Oil 3,322,295 SHEET METAL JOINT AND PULL TAB CONNECTION Derek Walter Jones, Blackwater, near Camberley, Frederick David Miles, Beaconsfield, and Orlebar Malcolm Bruce Payne, Radlett, England, assignors to The British Aluminium Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Dec. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 419,300 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 23, 1963, 50,667/ 63 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-54) This invention relates to improvements in sheet metal joints and methods of producing such joints.

In some applications, it is highly desirable to attach a member to a metal sheet of deformable material without interrupting the continuity of the metal sheet. One such application with which the present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned is the attachment of a tab to a weakened portion or tear strip of a thin-walled metal sheet intended to form part of an airtight container such as, for example, containers for foodstuffs or beverages.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of joining a member to a metal sheet of deformable material which comprises the steps of deforming the metal sheet to form a first hollow boss Without interrupting the continuity of the sheet, forming the member with a formation substantially complementary to the boss and dimensioned to extend into or around the boss, disposing one of the formation and the boss inside the other and adhesively uniting the boss and the formation.

According to another there is provided a metal sheet of deformable material The end of the further boss may, however, be open or apertured and, in some cases, the wall of the further boss may be serrated.

It is preferred that the member sheet, the formation being deformed out of the general plane thereof by a pressing or stamping operation.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example as applied to a tab attached to a tear strip formed in the end of a thin-walled metal container, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the top for the container showing the tear strip,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the tab attached,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line IIIIII of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a modification.

In this example, the container end or lid 1 is formed from deformable sheet metal which may, for example, be

be of deformable metal 3,322,295 Patented May 30, 1967 ice tion with the corners radiused to avoid sharp bends in the material.

fit within the boss 2. A measured quantity of adhesive is introduced into the boss 2 and the boss 6 is then inserted and incorporates hardener polyamine.

It will be appreciated that when the boss in the boss 2 it is mechanically held against The above described arrangement is preferred, but it will be understood that the as a close fit within a corresponding formed boss on the tab 5. It will also be understood the end of the boss 6 may be left open.

We claim:

'stantially normal a an axis parallel to the general plane of the sheet and substantially normal to the direction of said tear strip at the location of said first boss produces mechanical engagement of said first and second bosses tending to lift said first boss and tear said weakened line portions and an adhesive bond uniting said first and second hollow bosses.

3. A metal container having an end wall with a first hollow boss deformed out of the general plane of said end wall without interrupting the continuity of said end wall, a pair of spaced weakened line portions formed in said end wall to embrace said first hollow boss and define a tear strip, a tab overlying said end wall and carrying a second hollow boss, one of said first and second hollow bosses extending as a relatively close fit into the other of said first and second bosses and said bosses being relatively dimensioned such that displacement of said tab about an axis parallel to the general plane of said end wall and subto the direction of said tear strip produces mechanical engagement of said first and second bosses tending to lift said first boss and tear said weakened line portions and an adhesive bond uniting said first and second hollow bosses.

4. A metal container having an end Wall with a first hollow boss deformed inwardly of said container out of the general plane of said end wall without interrupting the continuity of said end wall, a pair of spaced weakened line portions formed in said end wall to embrace said first hollow boss and define a tear strip, a tab overlying said end wall and carrying a second hollow boss extending as a relatively close fit into said first boss and dimensioned such that displacement of said tab about an axis parallel to the general plane of said end wall and substantially normal to the direction of said tear strip produces mechanical engagement of said first and second bosses tending to lift said first boss and tear said weakened line portions and an adhesive bond uniting said first and second hollow bosses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,068,563 12/1962 Reverman 29-458 3,187,928 6/1965 Bozek 220-54 3,198,155 8/1965 Fraze 220-54 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A METAL CONTAINER HAVING AN END WALL WITH A FIRST HOLLOW BOSS DEFORMED OUT OF THE GENERAL PLANE OF SAID END WALL WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE CONTINUITY OF SAID END WALL, A PAIR OF SPACED WEAKENED LINE PORTIONS FORMED IN SAID END WALL TO EMBRACE SAID FIRST HOLLOW BOSS AND DEFINE A TEAR STRIP, A TAB OVERLYING SAID END WALL AND CARRYING A SECOND HOLLOW BOSS, ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND HOLLOW BOSSES EXTENDING AS A RELATIVELY CLOSE FIT INTO THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND BOSSES AND SAID BOSSESS BEING RELATIVELY DIMENSIONED SUCH THAT DISPLACEMENT OF SAID TAB ABOUT AN 